At my request, Jonny made me a set of flower presses for Mother’s Day. The girls and I love the process of pressing the flowers, but haven’t yet decided what to do with them once they’re dried. Any ideas?
At my request, Jonny made me a set of flower presses for Mother’s Day. The girls and I love the process of pressing the flowers, but haven’t yet decided what to do with them once they’re dried. Any ideas?
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Marlo says
Oh, I love your presses. They look exactly like the one my husband made me years ago. I have just been thinking about what to do with all my pressed flowers, so I am grateful for your post. I do have to agree with all of those suggesting to put them on candles. My mother and I have done this with leaves as well and I love it. I use a paintbrush and brush melted wax over the flower/leaf at first, so get it to stick. Good luck!!
Mette says
Hi. What lovely colors those flowers have 🙂
You could use them for “découpage”, sorry don’t know the english word for that technique, it’s sort of glueing small images to things (like cardboard boxes) and then putting on a layer of varnish. Another idea is to make pictures and posters with them. Or decorate picture frames.
Love all the suggestions in the comments, we’ll be doing some drying and crafting too over summer 🙂
Greetings from Denmark
Sophie says
I haven’t read through all the comments, so maybe this has already been mentioned…but would Jonny by chance be interested in sharing *how* he made the flower press? I had one when I was younger and don’t know what became of it. But they are rather pricey and I’m sure I could make one. Any tips would be much appreciated! Pressed flowers are so beautiful. I used to make paper and put the flowers into it as it dried then make notecards.
shwell says
Hi Ginny,
check out these two links, I know someone who makes pressed flower jewelery using resin and they are very beautiful, she is much simpler in her designs, using only single flowers.
http://resinandpressedflowers.blogspot.com/2011/02/ive-met-wonderful-new-to-me-pressed.html
http://www.etsy.com/shop/PressedFlowerJewelry
shwell says
and the etsy shop for the first link is here
http://www.etsy.com/shop/mingogardens
Francesca B. says
Bookmarks and frames. A dear colleague of mine used to gift them to us, I own 2 and I treasure them, one has my initial….
Judy says
My aunt would arrange the pressed flowers on a piece of velvet fabric and then frame it under glass. Very nice. You can also use them for bookmarks as mentioned or greeting cards. I love the blue sweater. What is the pattern? It’s beautiful!
Tricia says
What gorgeous presses.
I have fond childgood memories of pressing flowers with my gran. We’d sometimes stick the flowers on paper and make them into flower fairies. We also stuck them onto cardboard to make gift tags and my favoutite was to make bookmarks.
Enjoy 🙂
Andréann says
My mom used to do bookmarks with them.
Catherine says
I have been wanting to do this… but have not had the time to “press” my flowers… thought I would share…
http://www.artfulparent.com/2012/05/thank-you-another-flower-stained-glass.html
Good luck. I cannot wait to see what you come up with.
swanski says
When they are completely dry, you could place them between wax paper and iron them together (waxy sides facing) maybe make book marks? Or the front of cards?
Kelly says
Maybe this was already mentioned, but you could set them in candles. I’m not sure how this is done, but I have a candle that my husband bought me when we were just dating and it has pressed flowers on the surface of the candle with just a bit of sheer wax on top. I also have a matching small picture frame with flowers set in between the glass.
What a lovely gift for Mother’s day. I love the foxglove you pressed. One of my favorites. 🙂
Emma says
Lovely! Did you see what Sarah’s daughter at “Amongst Lovely Things” did? (http://www.amongstlovelythings.com/2012/04/making-it-count-pressed-flower.html) I want to make a lampshade like that too, but I will have to make the flower press fist 🙂
sheila says
How fun! I am not sure what you can do with them, but I would try Mod Podge….if it works well, the possibilities are endless! 🙂
Taryn Kae Wilson @ Wooly Moss Roots says
How beautiful!!
I’ve seen people make greeting cards with pressed flowers on the front and always thought that would be fun!
Jenn says
I’ve seen people use pressed flowers (and other things in nature) to paint with. It actually turned out really fantastic. Just an idea. 🙂
kyndale says
Once, I got a card from my friend with pressed wildflowers on it.
Kelly @ Creating a Family Home says
So pretty! Maybe you can affix them to handmade notecards, although they’ll be fragile. Gee, not sure, but I want to press more flowers, too! We pressed some for Nathan recently but can’t remember which books they’re in…. Have a great weekend!
Wendy says
I’m chiming in with the bookmark crowd. When we were little I remember my mom having us make bookmarks as gifts–we laid the pressed flowers on top of a strip of wide ribbon, then sandwiched it between two pieces of contact paper. These hold up remarkably well–I think my dad is still using one 25+ years later! Little ferns press wonderfully too!
Loved the photos today!
Ellen says
I love pressed flowers – wish they kept their vibrancy a lot longer. Don’t know if there’s a green alternative to contact paper? But I was thinking sandwiching them between layers of self-adhesive ‘plastic’ stuff and making a wipeable placemat? Or maybe use modgepodge to attach them to paper cards? I’m sure grandma would love to get a handmade card or a bookmark with the flowers.
I love the other person’s idea of adding them to beeswax candles – maybe sandwich between waxed paper (you know the old-fashioned way with crayons too) and make a lantern out of it?
Maya says
Paper making?
Rachel Wolf says
What about waxing them to the outside of beeswax candles? I made the beeswax luminaries this winter and so wanted to have pressed flowers to add.
Katrina says
They turned out lovely. Maybe you could make cards with the pressed flowers?
brooke says
lovely! i have also wanted to put them in between glass to make a ‘stained glass’ picture to hang in a window. must make a press this weekend! also love beatrix’s dress, did you make it?
jodi says
save some for winter and make these! http://curiousacorn.blogspot.com/2011/02/cabin-fever-crafting.html
Elizabeth says
Delightful. Your flowers are amazing. Love the presses.
I am adding wildflowers to my land hoping to one day have a wildflower meadow.
Citysister says
I used to make Christmas presents of bookmarks using the wax paper method…or glue them to paper for cards…or mix them into paper making…Sky’s the limit!
Jeannine says
Definitely laminated pictures hung on walls, in simple little frames:) Yes, I am putting in my request for a flower press on the next holiday. Jeannine
kathleen says
we pressed in books and my mother put flowers in a preservative (looks like sugar) in old cookie tins. We added wire to blossoms and floral tape and made dried flower arrangements. My mother made pictures that she framed and stationery. Jonny made such beautiful presses.
Patricia says
When my daughter was young, we’d press flowers in the summer and then in the cold, dark winter, we’d bring them out, put them on colored card stock (post card size) then put clear contact paper over it – then we would spend time writing our post cards to those we loved. One evening a week, for about an hour before bed (or sometimes after breakfast on those dark cold mornings) we’d spend connecting with Gramma, Aunties, cousins, school friends – the only cost was for one role of clear contact paper (it really goes a long way) and the post card stamps. I’m thinking that this summer when we do our annual “girls road trip” to Block Island for 4 days, we’ll introduce my 3-yr old granddaughter to this magical activity. Oh one of Jenn’s favorite things was to make pictures of fairies using the pressed flowers.
Barbara says
I just love the idea of finding them unexpectedly tucked in books and among pretty linens in dresser drawers. I suppose a dot of glue and you could affix them to card stock for simple bookmarks and cards. If you wanted to spend money you could frame them. Does Jonny make frames? 😉
There are probably whole books filled with ideas!
Fleur Cotton says
If you have a laminator you could make table mats with them placing the flowers in designs on A4 card, and then laminate them so that the edges are sealed …would look great on garden tables.
Fleur xx
Carol says
What a beautiful collection of pressed flowers you have! I have fond memories of doing this as a child. I used them for pictures, cards, bookmarks, etc. The thing I liked best was just collecting and looking at my collection. I kept them in a telephone book. I had books on identifying them as well. I had a friend named Vesna from ballet class, that was French as well as American citizen. We both collected and pressed flowers together. She would go visit her grandparents every summer in the french countryside. We would always correspond and I would always recieve these big,fat letters bulging with news and pressed flowers. It was so lovely. I cherish these memories til today.
Cary says
My mom and I pressed pansies from my great grandmothers grave between two pieces of glass in a stand alone frame. I think my mom got the glass frames at the craft store (probably Michaels). I love pressing flowers!
Missy says
We used to iron pressed flowers (or fall leaves) between two pieces of wax paper and either hand them in a window or use them as place-mats. Your flowers are beautiful!
Kim says
I love pressing flowers….they usually get framed in our home, or used for cards.
Have fun with whatever you decide to do with them.
Kimberlee says
Oh, so pretty! Bookmarks and cards journal covers would all be so lovely! I need to get out our press, thankyou!
Tiff says
I would turn them into beautiful framed flower gardens or bouquets to hang on the wall. Just get some cheap frames from the thrift shop and mount them on the backing and have them under glass, then you can enjoy them now and all through winter. There is a local artist who does the craft shows here in Maine who makes these(they are gorgeous) and sells them for a pretty penny.
I love the purple/blue hues of your flowers.
Tiff
Eliane Temba says
I think would be pretty much like pictures! Such beautiful colors! And the girls were very committed with the work, very good!
Nadja says
Lovely! I am lucky enough to have old ledger presses which I use in bookbinding, and I use those to press flowers. I use them for cards, but I would love to try making handmade paper and use the flowers, leaves and petals in the sheets.
Love the blue and white flowers–make me think of the Blessed Mother!
leah says
The flower presses are beautiful! It never occurred to me that we could make them ourselves. How clever! As for the pressed flowers, the children might enjoy making paper with them.
Andrea says
I always wanted to do this when I was a child, lucky girls. What about framing them for unique artwork on the walls (I think it would make lovely gifts for grandparents, etc). Also, framed, they could be changed out with the seasons. Love, love, love your blog!
Kristin says
If you’re planning on making candles with your beeswax, you can decorate the candles with them, or add them to homemade soap.
Heather says
Cards, perhaps. Covers to little journals. I do love our press as well.
Sara says
I grew up loving a painting by a friend of my mom’s, and when I got older I found it was really pressed flowers! It was a painted vase of flowers, but the flowers were real, and she put layers of torn rice paper over the whole thing until it was gorgeous. I’m sure you could achieve something similar with white tissue paper and modpodge for kids.
Joy says
Pressed between two layers of contact paper, they make pretty bookmarks. You can Modge over them on paper. I’ve also seen them out on one layer of contact paper and then pressed to windows like stained glass.
Wonder Why Gal says
Those are beautiful…the flowers and the children.
helene says
Hi Ginny,
I was looking for Easter egg decoration a while back and found that you could use pressed flowers, however it was in french and I can’t find the link!!! (useless idea??? )
The other thing would be to laminate them and cut out little badges, pins, name labels or key rings, they would make perfect little gifts ?
annita says
Pretty pictures! Love the colors. Happy Friday! +JMJ+
Leigh says
Love the pressed flowers. I make bookmarks with mine. I place them on cardboard and cover with sticky-back plastic. It’s also nice to put the date on them and who made them.
Sarah says
Beautiful. We have used our dried flowers for cards and children’s art. One of the children made a butterfly picture picture with rose petals. They would also make lovely bookmarks and confetti. Looking forward to other ideas.